Everything will be okay
by KelsiMellark
Summary: 2 years after the war, Peeta and Katniss deal with their life as far away from the capitol as possible.  "I'm in love with Peeta Mellark. I'm broken but I'm healing" Post Mockingjay but Pre-epilouge. Please R & R :D Summary sucks, better story inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hi! First, I want to thank you for the wonderful reviews for my first THG fanfic "Pool Day."  
>Next, regarding this story, I'm still thinking how long this is going to be. Depends on your reviews. I'm going to finish the first part then tell me what you think okay? This takes place 2 years after Mockingjay but Peeta and Katniss aren't married yet. Lastly, this can be both in Katniss or Peeta's POV. I'm sorry if they are out of character. Please R &amp; R :D<p>

**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Hunger Games series or even the characters. This belongs to Suzanne Collins. I'm just a big fan of her.

I quietly admire the beautiful cake displays outside of the bakery. I remember how Prim and I used to do this all the time but can't afford to buy it. Prim. I will never be able to do this with her again. Come to think of it, I will never be able to do anything else with her. She's long gone. It's already been two years since the war ended but I can still feel all the wounds it gave me. And I know things will never be the same again. I feel my tears rolling down my cheeks again. I'm tired of this, I think. I'm tired of crying out all the pain. There's nothing left. Everyone's gone and all that's left is Haymitch and my Peeta. I rub my tear stained eyes as I hear the door behind me close and open.

"What's wrong?" Peeta's voice is filled with worry. He quickly wrapped me in his arms and for that moment I felt the sense of completeness in me.

"Your cakes are so beautiful, it made me cry." I say trying to break the tension. He cupped my face in his hands and made me look in his piercing blue eyes that I love so much. One look at him and I already knew he wasn't buying my excuse. I knew there was nothing else I could do so instead of answering I just pulled him in and kissed him.

"So, ready to go home?" I say pulling myself away from him.

"Okay, let me just lock up the bakery okay?" He replies, still holding my hand we go inside the shop for to pack his stuff.

We were only three more blocks away from our house when we stopped. Our house, I think. The house that we share together, no one else. It's not a new setup for us, after everything we've been through, we just decided that it will be better living together. He will be able to kiss and fight all my nightmares goodbye while I can guide him through what's real and what is not by being there with him during his episodes. His episodes are much better than before though, He only gets one at least once every 2 months which is a big improvement according to Dr. Aurelius.

"Haymitch either has a guest or a new car…" Peeta says breaking my chain of thoughts.

"There is now way he is buying a hot pink car, even without being sober." I reply laughing by Peeta's side, my fingers still interwind with his.

"Do you think Haymitch will mind if we just barge in to see who his date is for tonight?" Peeta mutters.

"It's not like he can keep it from us forever. 'Common!" I say dragging him towards Haymitch's house.

We often tell Haymitch to keep his doors lock but he always insists that he can take on anything. 

We enter as quietly as we can, trying hard not laugh but barely succeeding. We glide through our tiptoes then hide behind the corner. We soon notice how clean and sweet-smelling his house is. All the empty bottles of liquor that usually lay around until Peeta and I pick it up are gone. The curtains are also freshly washed and ironed.

"Whoever his lover is, she took Haymitch to a whole new level." I mutter under my breath.

"Haymitch has a lover?" Her voice filled with amusement and surprise, cheery as ever in that capitol accent of hers. Without even looking I already know who she is.

"Effie?" Peeta says as he turns around.


	2. Chapter 2

"Effie?" Peeta says as he turns around, looking at the woman standing in front of us. It's been too long since we last saw her. Of course she keeps in touch and calls us from time to time but ever since the war ended and everything went back to normal at the capitol, Effie came back to her old ways, being her usual self. Although I can see that she gave up her pink wig and instead, let her ginger hair flow naturally up to her shoulders. She also lessened the make-up she puts on her face. Now that I can see her real features, I must say that she really does look stunning.

"Oh Peeta, Katniss! It's been too long!" Effie replies taking us both in for a hug. Peeta and I look at each other and back to her. Suddenly, I can feel something catching in my throat…like I can't breathe. What would Effie be doing here? I'm almost sure she's not her to visit Haymitch. She's here for a reason. That reason, were about to find out.

"I see you two lovebirds saw her already. Well, common; let's not make the food wait." Haymitch butts in; holding a plate of what I assume is lamb stew. We turn to see Haymitch's dining table full of different delicacies. All the way from appetizers down to every little sweet dessert I can think of.

"What's the big occasion?" I ask.

"Well, Effie insisted that the food must be perfect. After all it's been too long since we last saw each other." Haymitch answers. He's already holding a piece of fish fillet.

"So, it's a reunion?" Peeta asks obviously still confused like me.

"Partly. Actually, I came here for an announcement." Effie's capitol accent ringing in my ears.

"Oh no." I feel all the blood run out of my face. I think I'm going to fall but Peeta is fast and already has his hands around me.

"Oh no, not a bad thing. It's just an invitation." Effie says assuring me.

"Invitation to what?" Peeta asks for me.

"Well, the capitol will be celebrating Panem's second independence anniversary and president Paylor wants you three to be there. She wants all remaining victors to be present for the presentation of the memorials that the capitol built." Effie explains slowly making sure we were listening.

"Celebrate? Celebrate what? That more than a thousand of people were killed? All because of that rebellion! All because of… all because of me." I say the last words barely audible as I choke out a sob out of me. I'm tired of crying. I ran outside the house as fast as I can. Where will I go, I think. I can't go to the woods because it's already dark. Besides, I don't go near the woods after the sun goes down, afraid that the graveyard of a meadow will go back to life and haunt me. What I'm feeling now is exactly like what I felt the night they announced about the quarter quell. I remember running to an empty house enclosing myself from the world, shattering glass with my bare body in the process. But I can't do that now. So instead, I just run to my garden and sit beside the primrose bushes that Peeta planted there. I felt Peeta's hands hold me again, making me cry harder. I crashed myself into his gentle but firm, loving arms. For awhile no one said anything.

"I'm done." I said barely audible.

"I know it's hard love, but we can't let Panem down. Not after all this time." He replies, making his tongue work its magic.

"It just hurts so much. I'm so tired of being hurt and broken." I mumble.

"Hey, everyone's hurting Katniss… one way or another. And I'm just as broken as you are. But we can get through this. Together." I can feel the pain in his cracking voice. We've been through so much but like he said, we can get through anything as long as we're together.

"How did I get so lucky to have someone like you?" I reply, fixing my gaze on him. He smiles weakly and pulled me in for a kiss instead.

"And it gets better." He says after breaking our kiss.

"So, when are we leaving?" I say. I'm still not sure what to expect of the capitol but I'm confident with Peeta by my side. I smile weakly as he leads me back to Haymitch's house.

The next few days were busy. We packed all the things that we will need for our two week trip. We asked Greasy Sae to watch buttercup as well as keep an eye on the bakery while we are gone. Days past and before we knew it were almost ready to go.


	3. Chapter 3

"Katniss! The Car is here already!" Peeta shouts from down stairs.

"I'm coming!" I reply as I shove some last few things in my hand bag. I dart down the stairs and meet Peeta at the door.

"Hold on a minute." Peeta says grabbing my shoulders. He pulls out a gold thing from his pocket. My mockingjay pin.

"There, now your signature outfit is complete." He mutters as he kissed my braided hair. He then pulls out another gold thing outside his pocket. It's his token, his locket. He opened it and gave me a questioning look. He pointed at the locket where Gale's picture was once posted. Instead, in Gale's place is a picture of me and Peeta.

"I wanted to start over." I reply sheepishly. I know it's wrong to change it without his permission. It's his locket anyway but I just can't bear to see Gale's face there when I'm supposed to be forgetting all the hurt. A car honk breaks my chain of thoughts. We get in the car, and try to get ready for the next days to come.

"Relax. You'll do great. You always do." Johanna Mason says winking at me. It's the night everyone's waiting for, the night of our 'reunion interview'. Johanna gives me a tight hug, something we never do often.

"I missed you brainless" She says after pulling away.

"You too. You look so different." I say, giving her a nudge. Her long brown hair is now hanging loosely up to her back and I can see no sign of pain in her eyes unlike the last time I saw her in the hospital two years ago.

"That's because I'm different. No one is the same after all." She shoots me a look.

"True. I see the morphing thing didn't work on you." I say

"Neither on you." She retorts back.

"Hi girls…" Annie says rather shyly as usual. She is carrying Finn, her now two-year old son with Finnick. Johanna and I both smile and talk to her for a while. I glance at Peeta and see him having an episode. It's the first one he had in three months. That's an improvement but I still can't help the terror I felt. I quickly excused myself from the other tributes and went to my Peeta. He calms down after a while but not before the other tributes notice what was going on. But instead, they try to act normal knowing that it will only be more painful if we stayed on the topic.

"I'm sorry Katniss." Peeta says under his breath.

"Don't be. It's not your fault." I squeeze his hand and smiled.

"It always gets better after you're here." He says, a grin forming on his face.

"I'm nervous Peeta…" I say changing the topic. I mean it.

"Don't be. Caesar Flickerman won't hurt us. At least not in front of the entire Panem and the other victors." He reasons out.

"I guess so." I reply flatly.

"Just, recite the list again." He gives me a wink. 'I'm Katniss Everdeen. I'm 19 years old. Turning 20 in two months. I'm in love with Peeta Mellark. I'm broken but I'm healing. I am the mockingjay. At least I try to live up to it. I'm not afraid. I know where I belong.' Before I knew it, my name was called up to the stage. We are going to be interviewed alone first then bring in all the others after the last one. Being from district 12 I'm second to the last… as usual.

"You are so brave Katniss. The fire never died. How did you do it?" Caesar is still the same as always, with the bright blue hair and that stunning smile.

"Well, I would have never done it without my dandelion." I turn my head slightly towards Peeta's direction from backstage.

"He has always been there from me, believed me when even I myself gave up. He came back to me when he has all the reasons to forget. He gives me hope and one look at his eyes and I know everything will be alright." I continue, my eyes filling up with tears. Caesar waits patiently and gives me a comforting smile.

"It has always been him. And honestly, I wouldn't come to live if he didn't come back for me. And yes, after everything, we have changed, we have all been broken but at least he came back, my Peeta came back and that's all that matters to me." I finish, trying hard not to choke with my own words. I reach out for Peeta to come out on the stage with me to which he obliges. I hear Caesar mumble out some words and the crowd goes wild but I don't really pay attention because right now, I'm lost in Peeta's sparkling blue eyes. He holds me tightly in his arms and again, I feel the sense of completeness. And I know, everything will be alright. We will be okay.


	4. Chapter 4

Peeta's POV

I move as silently as I can, trying so hard not to wake her up. I stare at her one more time before I go out of the room. She looks so peaceful, her tangled hair going in different directions. I stiffen when I saw her shuffle a bit and a sound of 'hmm' escapes her now smiling lips. I smile at the sight of her seeing how beautiful she looks. How did I get so lucky? I close the door quietly behind me and went straight to the dining hall. This is where Effie, the others and I are supposed to meet. They all agreed to take Katniss off of my hands while I plan on how I will propose to her with the help of the other victors—our friends.

"You're late." Haymitch says flatly. Everyone was here, Effie, the victors (except Enobaria and Beetee, they never came back to the capitol) even Katniss' prep team.

"Nope. You're all just earlier than me." I say smiling a bit. I sit down as we started to discuss my proposal plan over breakfast.

"I want it to be a private a possible first." I reply to their suggestion of televising it to the entire Panem.

"Why? Afraid she would refuse you?" Johanna jokes and everybody laughs, including me. It's not that I'm afraid of rejection, I just don't want her to feel pressured in giving her answer. Everybody falls silent as we heard an all too familiar voice.

"What's so funny? And why didn't you wake me up, Peeta?" Katniss asks a little bit pissed.

"I know you're tired from last night's interview that I didn't bother to wake you up. Cheese buns?" I reply hoping she will buy my excuse. She sits next to me, grabbing the cheese buns from my hands.

"So, what's so funny?" She repeats. Everybody remained quiet.

"Effie was planning a bonding day today, Katniss." Annie chimes in catching everyone.

"Oh. Yes…" Effie responds a little bit confused. Katniss' eyebrows rise a bit.

"Effie said she would like to like to go shopping around the city instead of staying inside while waiting for our next capitol appearance." Johanna adds.

"That's nice, Effie. But I don't think shopping is Haymitch's kind of bonding." Katniss shrugs. I look at the others asking for help, clearly she's not buying this.

"It's an 'all-girl bonding day' which starts right after breakfast so you better get ready Katniss!" Annie squeals.

"How about Peeta and Haymitch?" Katniss' voice sounding alarm. After all these years, I can tell she still can't get over the idea of being separated from me all because to other people during the quarter quell.

"We can manage love. Don't worry." I say giving her a reassuring smile. I can tell she is still not up for the idea but we have no choice. If I want everything to be perfect for tonight, we have to keep the act going perfectly.

"But-" "No Buts! Just finish your breakfast." Effie cuts her off. For awhile, we eat in silence until it was time for the girls to drag Katniss away from the building. I personally chose the roof to be the place because it gives me so much memory about her. Memories that I know to be real. This is where she told me that she will allow me to live with her forever which is exactly what I'm planning to.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to go with them? I could stay you know." Katniss insists.

"I'm sure. I'll be right here when you come home from your girl-bonding." I reply pulling her for an embrace.

"Call me if you need anything. Okay?" Her voice still filled with doubt. I smile at her knowing she doesn't have a clue of what's coming her way. I lean in and kiss her gently at first. I can feel her smiling through the kiss as she kisses back. I deepen the kiss until we have to pull away for air. We smile at each other. When she attempts to pull me in for another kiss, we are interrupted by Johanna's voice knocking on the door.

"Peeta! CAN YOU LET ME BORROW KATNISS NOW?" I can hear her shouting through the door. I chuckle as I open the door.

"She's all yours." I reply

"I'll bring her back before the beasts come out." Johanna whispers. This actually refers to the time sector during the quarter quell. Every 6 o'clock a beast mutation comes out of nowhere. I sigh at the memory and try to doge it away. After all, I still have a long day ahead of me.


	5. Chapter 5

Katniss' POV

"We've been roaming around this place the whole day" I complain. "Can't we go home yet Effie?"

"No!" Effie scowled at me. "I still have to look for- something…" With that Johanna chuckled.

"Well why don't I go home while you people stay here and look." I muttered. I don't think anyone will approve of it the moment I saw their bodies tense. It's just not fair. They let Annie get away and go home to Finn while I have to be stuck with Johanna, Effie, Flavius, Venia and Octavia. Not that I don't like them as company, I'm just really tired with all the walking we made today.

"Tell you what, why don't you go but things for yourself… Bring them with you!" Johanna buzzed gesturing to my old prep team. Much to my dismay, I simply obey while the three take me to shops I never thought I will be setting foot in.

Peeta's POV

Haymitch and I are still fixing things in on the roof top of the building when my phone rang. Effie's name flashed in the screen. It's only 4:30 and we're still not done with the final touches.

"She's being so stubborn!" Effie didn't even bother to let me say 'Hello' first.

"Is there something wrong?" I reply

"She wants to go home already, she's making everyone irritable!" Johanna's voice rang in my ears. Clearly, I'm on speaker phone.

"Well, where is she now? Does she know anything yet?" I say in a hushed voice as if Katniss was right behind me and I can spoil the surprise any moment.

"No, she's getting prepped up by her prep team. But as she's done, we are going home Mellark!" Johanna's irritation can't go un-noticed on the phone.

"Okay, just give me a call when you guys are on your way home so I can get ready." I put down the phone before they scream at me again. I owe these guys so much. After all, handling Katniss can really keep your hands busy—especially when you don't know how to deal with her scowls. Her scowls that I came to love, Scowls that will soon be part of my life forever.

Katniss' POV

The ride on the way home was dead silent. I can't help but feel agitated that my prep team made me dress up just because they liked the dress they saw at the shop for me. Not to mention the make-up that they think complimented the dress perfectly. No matter, it made them so happy, and after everything they've been through with me, the least I can do is make the happy. It was almost 5:30 when we left the shopping center and based on our speed, I can say that I'll be back on Peeta's arms right before 6 pm. Maybe I can still watch the sunset with him if I get lucky.

When I got down the car, I immediately looked for Peeta. I don't want to admit it but I actually want to show him my new dress. I love how it looks like dandelions because of its yellowish shade below while its orange color patterns above. It flows just above my knees in a puffy style. It has only one sunset-orange strap that runs along to the tip of the belt that is also mostly sunset-orange colored with flower patterns. It's too perfect for me to say no to the dress. The store owner told me there is only one dress made so Flavius bought it for me. I thanked the girls for the bonding day and ran to the room Peeta and I shared but on the way there, Haymitch told me he's at the roof top and so I followed him.

Peeta's POV

Katniss is probably still down stairs looking for me. I already told Haymitch to lead her here. This is it, I think. There will be no turning back now. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, she's worth everything. I hear footsteps that bring me back to reality. She looks so beautiful. After all this time, she's still not aware, with the effect she can have.

"Hey" She says quietly. I can't help myself but go straight to her and lean in to kiss her. Once I captured her soft lips against mine, I knew that I was home.

"I missed you love." I reply as she pulls away. She raises her eye brow.

"Well, I think I missed you more love."

"Really? Did you have fun with the girls?" I counter gesturing at her beautiful dress.

"Flavius bought it for me when I told her it's your favorite color and it reminded me of dandelions. You like it?" She replies cheerfully, twirling for me.

"I love it. It's good to hear they kept you busy." I say casually which makes her raise her eye brow once again.

Breaking away from my grasp, she looks around and says "What's all this for Mr. Mellark?"

"Nothing really, I just thought you aren't coming home yet so I decided to have a little date while you are gone." I try to make it sound as serious as I can although I can already feel my cheeks stretching into a suppressed smile. Katniss' face stiffens. She looks around if I really do have someone else with me and in that moment I could have sworn she was more than willing to kill whoever my 'date' was.

"Kidding." I say as I hug her again. She rolls her eyes as she tries to free herself from my arms.

"It's not funny." Her reply was stern and cold. I looked her straight in those stormy grey eyes that I love so much then kissed her temple. Again she resists and turns away. I know we both know that she isn't really angry. This is one of the many moments that I came to love spending with her. In this game, I always win.

"I'm sorry love. Here let me make it up to you." I figured this will be the best time to do it. I bent down on my good knee and pulled the red velvet box out of my pocket. Annie's reason for leaving earlier wasn't really because she needed to take care of Finn… it was because I asked for her help for the ring I'm about to give her. Using the pearl from the last quarter quell I gave it to Annie and she was the one who made it into a ring. I saw Katniss' hiding place and so I decided that it's more symbolic if I gave her the same pearl. I was proven right because when she turned around, tears quickly filled her precious eyes.

"Oh Peeta…" She gasps in disbelief.

"I hope you don't mind that I took your pearl. I wanted it to be part of your engagement ring." I smiled flash across my face and she simply nods her head and blinks away the tears.

"Katniss Everdeen, You don't know how long I waited for this moment and now that you're already here, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to freeze every moment I have with you and live it forever and if it's okay with you will you marry me?" I blurt out. Everything was hazy after that. All I remember is her taking my hands and making me stand up. She nods her head silently and that's when I leaned in to kiss her.

"You'll me forever, real or not real?" I ask as I pull away.

"Real. And you'll stay with me forever." She replies, tears still flowing lightly from her eyes.

"Always." I reply as my own tears begin to flow. I kiss her passionately in a long lingering kiss. I can see it now, happy endings are possible and they aren't as far away as you think.

A/N: That's it! Or at least for now. Please R & R so I'll know what I have to fix. I'm open for corrections. Tell me if you want to me to continue okay? :) Thank you so much!


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